---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Jeremiah 27"
description: "CHAPTER 27   :-. THE FUTILITY
OF RESISTING
NEBUCHADNEZZAR ILLUSTRATED
TO THE AMBASSADORS OF THE
KINGS, DESIRING
TO HAVE THE KING
OF JUDAH
CONFEDERATE WITH"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/jeremiah/27"
---

CHAPTER 27

. THE FUTILITY
OF RESISTING
NEBUCHADNEZZAR ILLUSTRATED
TO THE AMBASSADORS OF THE
KINGS, DESIRING
TO HAVE THE KING
OF JUDAH
CONFEDERATE WITH THEM,
UNDER THE TYPE OF
YOKES. JEREMIAH
EXHORTS THEM
AND ZEDEKIAH TO
YIELD.

**1. Jehoiakim**—The prophecy that
follows was according to this reading given in the fourth year of
Jehoiakim, fifteen years before it was published in the reign of
Zedekiah to whom it refers; it was thus long deposited in the
prophet's bosom, in order that by it he might be supported under
trials in his prophetic career in the interim [CALVIN].
But "Zedekiah" *may be* the true reading. So the
*Syriac* and *Arabic Versions.* [Jeremiah 27:3](../../../kjv/jeremiah/27/3);
[Jeremiah 27:12](../../../kjv/jeremiah/27/12); [Jeremiah 28:1](../../../kjv/jeremiah/28/1),
confirm this; also, one of KENNICOTT'S
manuscripts. The *English Version* reading *may* have
originated from [Jeremiah 26:1](../../../kjv/jeremiah/26/1). "Son
of Josiah" applies to Zedekiah as truly as to "Jehoiakim"
or "Eliakim." The *fourth year* may, in a general
sense here, as in [Jeremiah 28:1](../../../kjv/jeremiah/28/1), be
called "the beginning of his reign," as it lasted eleven
years ([2 Kings 24:18](../../../kjv/2-kings/24/18)). It was not
long after the fourth year of his reign that he rebelled against
Nebuchadnezzar ([Jeremiah 51:59](../../../kjv/jeremiah/51/59);
[Jeremiah 52:3](../../../kjv/jeremiah/52/3); [2 Kings 24:20](../../../kjv/2-kings/24/20)),
in violation of an oath before God ([2 Kings 24:20](../../../kjv/2-kings/24/20)).

**2. bonds**—by which the yoke is
made fast to the neck ([Jeremiah 5:5](../../../kjv/jeremiah/5/5)).
**yokes**—literally, the
carved piece of wood attached at both ends to the two yokes on the
necks of a pair of oxen, so as to connect them. Here the *yoke*
itself. The *plural* is used, as he was to wear one himself, and
give the others to the ambassadors; ([Jeremiah 27:3](../../../kjv/jeremiah/27/3);
[Jeremiah 28:10](../../../kjv/jeremiah/28/10); [Jeremiah 28:12](../../../kjv/jeremiah/28/12))
proves that the symbolical act was in this instance (though not in
others, [Jeremiah 25:15](../../../kjv/jeremiah/25/15)) actually
done (compare [Isaiah 20:2](../../../kjv/isaiah/20/2); [Ezekiel 12:3](../../../kjv/ezekiel/12/3);
[Ezekiel 12:11](../../../kjv/ezekiel/12/11); [Ezekiel 12:18](../../../kjv/ezekiel/12/18)).

**3. And send them to the king of
Edom,** &c.—Appropriate symbol, as these ambassadors had come
to Jerusalem to consult as to shaking off the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar.
According to PHERECYDES in
CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA
[*Miscellanies,* 567], Idanthura, king of the Scythians,
intimated to Darius, who had crossed the Danube, that he would lead
an army against him, by sending him, instead of a letter, *a mouse,
a frog, a bird, an arrow,* and *a plough.* The task assigned
to Jeremiah required great faith, as it was sure to provoke alike his
own countrymen and the foreign ambassadors and their kings, by a
seeming insult, at the very time that all were full of confident
hopes grounded on the confederacy.

**5.** God here, as elsewhere,
connects with the symbol doctrine, which is as it were its soul,
without which it would be not only cold and frivolous, but even dead
[CALVIN]. God's mention of
His supreme power is in order to refute the pride of those who rely
on their own power ([Isaiah 45:12](../../../kjv/isaiah/45/12)).
**given it unto whom it seemed
meet unto me**— ([Psalms 115:15](../../../kjv/psalms/115/15);
[Psalms 115:16](../../../kjv/psalms/115/16); [Daniel 4:17](../../../kjv/daniel/4/17);
[Daniel 4:25](../../../kjv/daniel/4/25); [Daniel 4:32](../../../kjv/daniel/4/32)).
Not for his merits, but of My own sole good pleasure [ESTIUS].

**6. beasts of the field**—not
merely the horses to carry his Chaldean soldiers, and oxen to draw
his provisions [GROTIUS];
not merely the deserts, mountains, and woods, the haunts of wild
beasts, implying his unlimited extent of empire [ESTIUS];
but the beasts themselves by a mysterious instinct of nature. A
reproof to men that they did not recognize God's will, which the very
beasts acknowledged (compare ). As the beasts are to submit to Christ, the Restorer of the
dominion over nature, lost by the first Adam (compare [Genesis 1:28](../../../kjv/genesis/1/28);
[Genesis 2:19](../../../kjv/genesis/2/19); [Genesis 2:20](../../../kjv/genesis/2/20);
[Psalms 8:6-8](../../../kjv/psalms/8/6-8)), so they were
appointed to submit to Nebuchadnezzar, the representative of the
world power and prefigurer of Antichrist; this universal power was
suffered to be held by him to show the unfitness of any to wield it
"until He come whose right it is" ([Psalms 8:6-19](../../../kjv/psalms/8/6-19)).

**7. son . . . son's son**— (). Nebuchadnezzar had *four* successors—Evil-merodach,
his *son;* Neriglissar, husband of Nebuchadnezzar's daughter;
his son, Labosodarchod; and Naboned (with whom his son, Belshazzar,
was joint king), *son* of Evil-merodach. But Neriglissar and
Labosodarchod were not in the *direct male line;* so that the
prophecy held good to "his son and his son's son," and the
intermediate two are omitted.
**time of his land**—that
is, of its subjugation or its being "visited" in wrath
([Jeremiah 27:22](../../../kjv/jeremiah/27/22); [Jeremiah 25:12](../../../kjv/jeremiah/25/12);
[Jeremiah 29:10](../../../kjv/jeremiah/29/10); [Jeremiah 50:27](../../../kjv/jeremiah/50/27);
[Daniel 5:26](../../../kjv/daniel/5/26)).
**serve themselves of him**—make
him their servant ([Jeremiah 25:14](../../../kjv/jeremiah/25/14);
[Isaiah 13:22](../../../kjv/isaiah/13/22)). So "his day"
for the destined day of his calamity ([Isaiah 13:22](../../../kjv/isaiah/13/22)).

**8. until I have consumed them by his
hand**—until by these consuming visitations I have brought them
under his power.

**9. ye**—the Jews especially, for
whom the address to the rest was intended.
**enchanters**—augurs
[CALVIN], from a root, the
"eyes," that is, lookers at the stars and other means of
taking omens of futurity; or another root, a "fixed time,"
observers of times: forbidden in the law ([Leviticus 19:26](../../../kjv/leviticus/19/26);
[Deuteronomy 18:10](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/18/10); [Deuteronomy 18:11](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/18/11);
[Deuteronomy 18:14](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/18/14)).

**10. to remove you**—expressing
the *event* which would result. The very thing they profess by
their enchantments to avert, they are by them bringing on you. Better
to submit to Nebuchadnezzar, and remain in your land, than to rebel,
and be removed from it.

**11. serve . . . till it**—The
same *Hebrew* root expresses "serve" and "till,"
or "cultivate." *Serve* ye the king of Babylon, and
the land will *serve* you [CALVIN].

**12. I spake also**—translate,
"And I spake," &c. Special application of the subject
to Zedekiah.

**13. Why . . . die**—by running
on your own ruin in resisting Nebuchadnezzar after this warning ().

**14. lie**— ().

**15. in my name**—The devil often
makes *God's name* the plea for lies ([Matthew 4:6](../../../kjv/matthew/4/6);
[Matthew 7:22](../../../kjv/matthew/7/22); [Matthew 7:23](../../../kjv/matthew/7/23);
[Jeremiah 27:15-20](../../../kjv/jeremiah/27/15-20), the test
whereby to know false prophets).

**16.** The "vessels" had
been carried away to Babylon in the reign of Jeconiah (); also previously in that of Jehoiakim ().

**18. at Jerusalem**—that is, in
other houses containing such vessels, besides the house of God and
the king's palace. Nebuzara-dan, captain of the guard under
Nebuchadnezzar, carried all away ([2 Kings 25:13-17](../../../kjv/2-kings/25/13-17);
[2 Chronicles 36:18](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/36/18)). The more costly
vessels had been previously removed in the reigns of Jehoiakim and
Jeconiah.

**19.** ([Jeremiah 52:17](../../../kjv/jeremiah/52/17);
[Jeremiah 52:20](../../../kjv/jeremiah/52/20); [Jeremiah 52:21](../../../kjv/jeremiah/52/21)).

**22. until . . . I visit them**—in
wrath by Cyrus ([Jeremiah 32:5](../../../kjv/jeremiah/32/5)). In
seventy years from the first carrying away of captives in
Jehoiachin's reign ([Jeremiah 29:10](../../../kjv/jeremiah/29/10);
[2 Chronicles 36:21](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/36/21)).
**restore them**—by the
hand of Cyrus ([Ezra 1:7](../../../kjv/ezra/1/7)). By
Artaxerxes ([Ezra 7:19](../../../kjv/ezra/7/19)).

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